This was originally a post on my blog, but then it occurred to me that I'm going to keep referring to this every time I'm in a book store or whatever, so I might as well put it as a separate page so I don't have to dig through my blog every time I need it. And, of course, I will continue to update it as I think of new things/come to possess the things.
Also, it's numbered and labeled, for your convenience.
1. Intellectual Fun Learning Things because of my sudden inexplicable intrigue with Arthurian legends:
- Geoffrey of Monmouth's The History of the Kings of Britain.
- Geoffrey of Monmouth's Prophecies of Merlin.
- Geoffrey of Monmouth's Life of Merlin.
- Ideally, all parts of the Vulgate Cycle, but specifically Lancelot Proper, Quest for the Holy Grail, and the Death of Arthur. Wouldn't mind Estoire de Merlin and Suite de Merlin as well. Really, the whole cycle except the History of the Holy Grail because that seems the least interesting.
Sir Gawain and the Green Knight (I'm given to understand Tolkien has a translation of that? Count me in?)UPDATE: As it turns out, we're reading this in my Literature course! Hell yeah, one less thing to look for! I can't wait.Thomas Mallory's Le Morte D'Arthur is, apparently, entirely essential. (Whereas everything else is just me being incredibly nerdy and bookish).UPDATE: Guess what I got for Christmas? :D- And all of these need translations. Or I could learn Latin and Middle English. That seems a good bet. I don't know why I do this to myself. I just want to know everything!
***
- More modernly, and ideally after all the medieval stuff is over with so that I can see how re-imaginings are taking place, T.H. White's Once and Future King is apparently fantastic.
Mary Stewart's Merlin trilogy (and the other two books that complete the quintet) are also supposed to be good, and I would very much like to give those a try.UPDATE: We found the whole series of this, in none other than Canada's largest used book store. Also known as Literally Bookworm's Heaven.I've heard mixed reviews about Mists of Avalon, by Marion Zimmer Bradley, which, as far as I've gathered, focuses on Morgan le Fay, so I wouldn't object to that one.UPDATE: I managed to find a copy at Value Village! It isn't my first choice to begin my Arthurian adventure, but considering I've been actively looking for all of these and this is the first I've found, I'll take it. Also, it's surprisingly challenging. Certainly doesn't read like a book from 1983.- Jack Whyte's A Dream of Eagles series (or at least the first book). Canadian author? Arthurian legends? Focus on Merlin and Uther? Yeah, I'm down.
- And then, once the fun research-y bits are past... some also fun YA reading. Avalon High's supposed to be good, but extremely referential to the legends, which is why modern stuff comes after.
Hell yeah, I've researched how to do my research.
2. SHEET MUSIC.
- A book of piano sheet music for Phantom of the Opera would probably make my year. I love that musical. It's so pretty.
- Also, piano sheet music for I Belong to You (Mon Coeur S'Ouvre A Ta Voix) by Muse. Because that is a cool song. Don't think I've heard any other alt-rock song with an oboe solo.
- A book of piano sheet music from the musical RENT! would also be pretty cool.
- And Hamilton, the newest of my musical theatre loves. If I had sheet music of Hamilton, my life would be complete.
3. Miscellaneous books
Since I already brought it up, I really need The Phantom of the Opera by Gaston Leroux in my life. Andrew Lloyd Webber's musical is made of magic and angel tears but I remember really liking a version of the book I read when I was ten and I need it.UPDATE: I finally got it at a Value Village! I'm so happy.- I really enjoyed Orwell's 1984, so I'd like to give Animal Farm a shot as well.
- I saw a book series at the library during one of my volunteering times called the Pendragon series (which I obviously latched onto because of King Arthur Pendragon and my inexplicable intrigue with Arthurian legends). It's sci-fi, and has nothing at all to do with Arthuriana, as far as I can tell, but I like sci-fi and it looked fun.
- (On a side note, there are so many vampire slayer books at the library? And at least two unrelated series had the main character being related to Van Helsing. First of all, no one in my generation's going to get that reference because I've met no one else who enjoys classics the way I do - which is a crying shame, because Bram Stoker's Dracula is so good. Second of all, vampires have pretty much been twisted so out of shape that they're no longer interesting. Thirdly, just watch Buffy. Like, seriously.)
The Extraordinary Education of Nicholas Benedict by Trenton Lee Stewart. I've gone all this time adoring The Mysterious Benedict Society and being unaware of this prequel? Unacceptable.UPDATE: I bought it. It's really good. It makes me happy. Glad I wrote it down somewhere. Wouldn't have remembered it otherwise.- Sean Cullen's Hamish X series. I read the first one a while back, and thought it simultaneously intense and hilarious, and I need the books on my bookshelf. I also love his Chronicles of the Misplaced Prince, for the same reasons. If only he would hurry up and write the third one.
- Orson Scott Card's Ender's Game. Read it last summer and loved every second of it, and I need a copy that's mine.
Wouldn't mind getting Ender's Shadow, either, which is also supposed to be fantastic.UPDATE: This was also bought at Canada's largest used bookstore. It was good. Ender's Game was better, but this was also quite good.Guardian of the Dead by Karen Healey. Just throwing that on the list because I saw it during Internet wanderings and it piqued my interest.UPDATE: I bought it. I was a little skeptical given the typical-teenager beginning, but it's turning out to be quite good indeed.Dark Metropolis by Jaclyn Dolamore, for the same reason as the last.UPDATE: I bought it. We'll see how good it is after I'm finished Guardian of the Dead.- The Ables by Jeremy Scott. Reviewers love it, and it's written by a Youtuber who is very smart and witty, so I'm really excited about this one.
- Joss Whedon: The Biography, by Amy Pascale. I'm not big on biographies, but I am big on Joss Whedon, and I only just heard that this was a thing.
- Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West by Gregory Maguire. Obviously the musical is always good, and I've enjoyed Gregory Maguire in the past, so might as well.
So I just found out that the third W.A.R.P book is out, and this is extremely important because the W.A.R.P series is literally amazing. So, yeah. The Forever Man, by Eoin Colfer. That would be great. I'm so upset I didn't know about this earlier.UPDATE: Guess what I got for Christmas?!- So this is a little more random, but I would kind of love to have a biography of Marquis de Lafayette. Like, I'm not big on the Revolutionary War, nor am I big on biographies, but Lafayette lived the kind of life that I doubt anyone else in history has ever had. Participating majorly in not one, but two revolutions, fleeing his own country, getting locked up for being too moderate, and then getting freed by Napoleon? Who has a life like that? Lafayette, apparently.
- While we're talking about me not being into the Revolutionary War or biographies, I would love to have Ron Chernow's biography of Alexander Hamilton, which inspired the ever-brilliant musical. Yes, I'm obsessive.
4. To further my musical education
- A book that will help me teach myself to play trumpet, like the one I had for the sax in grade 6. I've been wanting to teach myself trumpet as a pet project, but I've been unsure where to start, and as I've learned from both the sax and the ukulele, I'm pretty good at teaching myself out of books.
A guitar. No, seriously, if I could scrape up the money, I would 100% buy myself a guitar. There's just so much more versatility than with the ukulele.And, obviously, a book to help me teach myself the guitar.UPDATE: GUESS WHAT I GOT FOR CHRISTMAS?!?!
5. Because I'm fannish
- DVDs of all my favourite shows. I just really need behind the scenes. Also having audio commentary is very important. I just need to know everything about everything.
- Specifically Buffy the Vampire Slayer (I already have seasons 1 and 2).
- Angel
- And Merlin.
- Oh and also Humans because it's just so wonderful. Why yes, I do have a thing for sci-fi and fantasy.
And, currently, that's all I can think of. I'm sure I'll think of other things and add them as I go, though. Mostly I'm just posting this here so that I don't lose it. Things go missing in my brain the way socks go missing in the laundry.
No comments:
Post a Comment